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Chestnut Weave Blanket

Over the last few months I have been obsessed with the Lemon Peel Square and the Chestnut Weave Blanket uses this pattern for the entirety – adding more and more rounds of the lemon peel stitch to create a giant lemon peel square using nine vibrant autumnal colours. The result is an elegant yet rustic design that highlights both the stitch detail and the warm earthy colours.

Crochet Skills Required

  • A simple pattern using chains, UK treble, double and half treble crochet stitches.
  • Knowledge of basic crochet stitches, techniques and terminology is assumed.
  • Using a magic ring to start the square (although not essential for the pattern).

Abbreviations

This pattern is written in UK terms.

  • beg-ch – beginning chain
  • ch – chain
  • dc – double crochet
  • htr – half treble crochet
  • Lemon peel stitch – [1dc, 1tr] repeat, work a dc in a tr & tr in a dc in subsequent rows
  • RS – right side
  • sp(s) – space(s)
  • ss – slip stitch
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • tr – treble crochet
  • […] – repeat pattern stated number of times
  • (…) – instructions worked into the same st/sp
  • WS – wrong side

US/UK Conversion

UK term

US term

Description

Treble Crochet (tr)

Double Crochet (dc)

Yarn over hook. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (3 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through two loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over pull through remaining two loops to leave 1 loop on the hook

Half Treble Crochet (htr)

Half Double Crochet (hdc)

Yarn over hook. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (3 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through remaining three loops to leave 1 loop on the hook

Double Crochet (dc)

Single Crochet (sc)

Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through remaining two loops to leave 1 loop on the hook

Slip Stitch (ss)

Slip Stitch (ss)

Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch and through loop 

Materials

Yarn

Double knit yarn in 9 colours: 295m of each. Total of 3245m.

The sample used Stylecraft Special DK 100% Acrylic in the following colours:

  • Fondant (A): 295m/100g
  • Copper (B): 295m/100g
  • Parma Violet (C): 295m/100g
  • Spice (D): 295m/100g
  • Meadow (E): 295m/100g
  • Gingerbread (F): 295m/100g
  • Fuchsia Purple (G): 295m/100g
  • Mustard (H): 295m/100g
  • Tomato (I): 295m/100g
Colour Palette for the Chestnut Weave Blanket
Colour Palette for the Chestnut Weave Blanket

Hook

4mm crochet hook or hook required to achieve gauge.

Other items

Tape measure, scissors, tapestry needle, stitch markers (if required).

Gauge

15 rounds of square made as per pattern = 23cm/9in square (unblocked).

Gauge is not critical, but it may affect yarn quantities and finished size.

Finished Size

Approximately 110cm x 110cm (43.5in x 43.5in).

Pattern Overview

The Chestnut Weave Blanket is made from one large Lemon Peel Square, worked over 68 rounds using nine colours. Each colour is used for two consecutive rounds, creating a beautiful striped effect. To finish and frame the throw, an additional seven rounds of lemon-peel stitch are worked in single colours.

About the Lemon Peel Stitch

The lemon peel stitch is a wonderfully textured crochet stitch. Traditionally, it is worked in rows, creating a dense fabric with minimal gaps and a delightfully pebbled surface. In this pattern, the lemon peel stitch has been adapted to work in the round rather than in rows, allowing you to form a beautifully textured square.

Lemon peel stitch is created by alternating UK double crochet (dc) and UK treble crochet (tr) stitches. On subsequent rows this alternation is repeated by working a dc into the top of a tr, and a tr into the top of a dc. This consistent alternating of dc and tr ensures the stitches nestle into each other, producing the subtle raised-and-dipped texture that makes the lemon peel stitch so distinctive.

Pattern Notes

  • Please read through the notes and pattern before starting.
  • This pattern uses a magic ring, but it is not essential to the pattern. An alternative is suggested.
  • This pattern suggests that you turn the work over after each round – this helps to keep the square even.
  • Instead of closing each round by working the corner chains and then working a slip stitch in the first stitch of the round, this pattern works a UK half treble crochet into the first stitch. This means that the loop is perfectly in the centre of the corner, so that you can turn and start the next round without needing to slip stitch into the corner.
  • The UK half treble crochet stitch closing the round counts as a chain-2 corner space.
  • This pattern uses UK terminology.

Video Tutorial

A video tutorial is available for making the Lemon Peel Square.

Written Pattern for the Square

Foundation With Fondant (A) make a magic ring (alternatively, ch4, join with a ss in first ch to form a ring).

Round 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as first tr); 2tr in ring, [ch2, 3tr] 3 times. Close the magic ring. Close the round by working 1htr in the top of beg-ch3.

Stitch count: 4 groups of 3tr and 4 ch-2 corner sps.

Round 2 (WS) Turn the work over. Ch1 (does not count as a st); 1dc in same ch-2 corner sp, [1tr in first st, 1dc in next, 1tr in next, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) in ch-2 corner sp] 3 times; 1tr in next st, 1dc in next, 1tr in next, 1dc in the ch-2 corner sp; 1htr in the first dc of the round. Fasten off Fondant (A).

Stitch count: 5 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner.

Round 3 (RS) Turn. With Copper (B), ch1 (does not count as a st); 1dc in same ch-2 corner sp; [work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc of the previous round) and 1dc (in a tr of the previous round); (1dc, ch2, 1dc) in ch-2 corner sp] 3 times; work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); 1dc in ch-2 corner sp; 1htr in the first dc of the round.

Stitch count: 7 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner.

Round 4 (WS) Turn. Ch1 (does not count as a st); 1dc in same ch-2 corner sp; [work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); (1dc, ch2, 1dc) in ch-2 corner sp] 3 times; work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); 1dc in ch-2 corner sp; 1htr in the first dc of the round. Fasten off Copper (B).

Stitch count: 9 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner.

Round 5 (RS) Turn. With Parma Violet (C), join in any ch-2 corner sp. Ch1 (does not count as a st); 1dc in same ch-2 corner sp; [work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); (1dc, ch2, 1dc) in ch-2 corner sp] 3 times; work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); 1dc in ch-2 corner sp; 1htr in the first dc of the round.

Stitch count: 11 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner.

Round 6 (WS) Turn. Ch1 (does not count as a st); 1dc in same ch-2 corner sp; [work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); (1dc, ch2, 1dc) in ch-2 corner sp] 3 times; work along to the next corner by alternating 1tr (in a dc) and 1dc (in a tr); 1dc in ch-2 corner sp; 1htr in the first dc of the round. Fasten off Parma Violet (C).

Stitch count: 13 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner.

  • Rounds 1 & 2
  • Rounds 3 & 4
  • Rounds 5 & 6

Rounds 7 to 68

Repeat rounds 5 and 6, working two rounds of each colour according to the colour order below, until you have completed rounds 67 and 68 Gingerbread (F).

Stitch Count after round 68: 137 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner

Continue to add two rounds of each colour
Continue to add two rounds of each colour

Rounds 1-2 Fondant (A)

Rounds 25-26 F Purple (G)

Rounds 49-50 Meadow (E)

Rounds 3-4 Copper (B)

Rounds 27-28 Spice (D)

Rounds 51-52 Fondant (A)

Rounds 5-6 Parma Violet (C)

Rounds 29-30 Gingerbread (F)

Rounds 53-54 F Purple (G)

Rounds 7-8 Spice (D)

Rounds 31-32 Fondant (A)

Rounds 55-56 Parma Violet (C)

Rounds 9-10 Meadow (E)

Rounds 33-34 Mustard (H)

Rounds 57-58 Gingerbread (F)

Rounds 11-12 Gingerbread (F)

Rounds 35-36 Copper (B)

Rounds 59-60 Tomato (I)

Rounds 13-14 F Purple (G)

Rounds 37-38 Parma Violet (C)

Rounds 61-62 Spice (D)

Rounds 15-16 Mustard (H)

Rounds 39-40 Tomato (I)

Rounds 63-64 Parma Violet (C)

Rounds 17-18 Tomato (I)

Rounds 41-42 Meadow (E)

Rounds 65-66 Mustard (H)

Rounds 19-20 Fondant (A)

Rounds 43-44 Mustard (H)

Rounds 67-68 Gingerbread (F)

Rounds 21-22 Parma Violet (C)

Rounds 45-46 Spice (D)

–

Rounds 23-24 Meadow (E)

Rounds 47-48 Copper (B)

–

Rounds 69 to 75

Repeat round 5 working one round in each colour according to the following order:

  • Round 69 (RS) Fondant (A)
  • Round 70 (WS) Copper (B)
  • Round 71 (RS) Spice (D)
  • Round 72 (WS) Fuchsia Purple (G)
  • Round 73 (RS) Meadow (E)
  • Round 74 (WS) Tomato (I)
  • Round 75 (RS) Gingerbread (F)

Stitch Count after round 75: 151 sts across each side and ch-2 in each corner

Close up of the last 7 rows of the crochet blanket
Close up of the last 7 rows of the Chestnut Weave Blanket

Weave in all the ends.

Completed Chestnut Weave Blanket
Completed Chestnut Weave Blanket